Ham and Cheese Pockets

When I worked in a bakery, we made more than just the sweet stuff. We would make these easy Ham and Cheese Pockets (or Turkey and Swiss Pockets) for catered events and things. We actually used danish dough instead of puff pastry, but it’s easier to find the puff pastry in regular grocery stores and it’s so flakey good!

Basically all you need is frozen puff pastry sheets, cheddar cheese slices, and ham slices. The mustard is optional. This time we used dijon, but you can use yellow or honey mustard as well.

Start by cutting a pastry sheet into fourths and roll them out just a little bit so you have room for your meat and cheese.

Add your meat, cheese, and mustard, then brush a whisked egg on the edges of half the square so you can fold it over and seal the dough together.

Fold over the top half of dough and pinch the edges or use a fork to seal them together. Cut a few slits on top for ventilation and brush the tops with the whisked egg.

Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 25 minutes. It’s honestly going to depend on how juicy the ham is. If it leaks juices it will take longer to get the tops and bottoms brown. Make sure you peek underneath the pockets to check that the puff pastry is not doughy. The dough should rise and get flakey.

These ham and cheese pockets are one of my husband’s favorite things to eat! Have fun with them! They are like homemade hot pockets! The possibilities are endless!

Instructions

Cut each pastry sheet into fourths and roll each square slightly thinner so there is room for the meat and cheese.

Add 3 slices of ham, 1 slice of cheese (folded in half), and a squirt of mustard (smeared) to half of each square. Then brush a whisked egg on the edges of the half of the square with meat and cheese, so you can fold over the top and seal the edges.

Fold over the top half of the dough and pinch the edges or crimp them with a fork to seal the dough together. Place pockets on a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet. Cut a few slits on top of each pocket with a knife for ventilation, and then brush the tops with the whisked egg.

Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 25 minutes. Make sure you peek underneath the pockets to check that the puff pastry is brown, and not doughy. The dough should rise and get flakey. The time will depend on how juicy the ham is and if it leaks out of the pocket while baking. Serve hot.

You know, I haven’t tried it. They taste best straight from the oven, but we reheat the leftovers in the microwave. They just aren’t crisp like fresh. It should work to freeze them and microwave them later, I don’t see why not.

Is it better to put the puff pastry in the fridge to defrost for later in the day or the day before? Or just put it on the counter and wait it out to defrost right before you are going to need it. I haven’t worked with it much.

It’s not filo dough which is many thin sheets of paper-like dough. You are using puff pastry which is a flaky dough but the package comes with 2 pieces of dough. You unfold the dough & cut it into 4 pieces. The whole package will therefore make 8 squares/sandwiches.

I am going to try this with my middle school cooking class. We have been talking about making healthy choices and this sounds so much better than the frozen stuff they tend to like. Can’t wait for them to try it!

I made these for the family tonight and they were a big hit! I used Provolone cheese and no mustard just because of personal preference, but this is a great concept! My son LOVES anything ham and cheese.

I just made a huge batch to freeze for easy work lunches for my husband and I. I can’t wait to see how they do thawed and reheated, but they look great! I used up several leftover cheeses from the fridge, and sauteed a bunch of vegetables I had lying around for a vegetarian version. I also made some onion and cheese ones inspired by a delicious Argentinian empanadas place I love. Finally, I made pepperoni ones for my husband! I can’t wait to try them!